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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29483487">Dalgona Surprise</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aoyuki_Hikari/pseuds/Aoyuki_Hikari'>Aoyuki_Hikari</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Trese (Comics)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Crack, Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 23:09:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>852</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29483487</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aoyuki_Hikari/pseuds/Aoyuki_Hikari</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Crack fic/non-canon. Maliksi jumps to the trend and attempts to make dalgona for Alex to impress her. But our detective does not like instant coffee. Hank reluctantly helps as the tikbalang messes up his wet bar. Alex was not pleased, not especially when she found out what the maverick used as substitute.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hank Sparrow &amp; Alexandra Trese, Maliksi/Alexandra Trese</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Dalgona Surprise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hank the bartender understood devotion.</p><p> </p><p>As a bartender, he also understood fads come and go. But when an enamored <em>tikbalang</em> is struck with frenzy in choosing to make a fad food to impress the bossing and persuades him to have the Diabolical as his testing ground, he can only pray that this will not end in a disaster. He had shooed off the Kambal earlier to preserve the dignity of the touchy Maliksi, but he is now rethinking the wisdom of having them away.</p><p> </p><p>He is also now starting to regret the decision to aid him. He stares at the mess at the wet bar. In the middle of the chaos, the <em>tikbalang</em> was vigorously whipping up a storm of flurry, spattering the once pristine walls and floor with sticky fluid. Because the bossing detests instant coffee, Maliksi had gone experimental with coffee grounds. What he did not expect is he would <b>ACTUALLY</b> use the grounds and not make espresso. He had tried to convince Maliksi to let him at least assist, but he waved him away, insisting he can do it alone.</p><p> </p><p>Hank sighs in exasperation. "That will not work, Maliksi. Instant coffee is what that calls for."</p><p> </p><p>The <em>tikbalang</em> grunts. "It's for Alex, Hank. I got to try and succeed. For her." More furious swipes ensues. The tikbalang groans in frustration as more sticky fluid flew. He reaches to take a jar beside him to pour brown powder on the bowl as he continues to whisk furiously. He carelessly plunks back the jar to the work table as he continues to whisk. The ancient looking jar wobbles and tips off its side, spilling its contents to the counter. The aroma of fresh coffee fills the room.</p><p> </p><p>Hank rolls his eyes as he avoids being hit of whatever potion Maliksi is concocting. As he tries to clean up after the mess he can reach, Hank's idle gaze falls on the carelessly-plunked jar that is now on its side, brown grains falling. The cover is nowhere to be seen. Hank scrutinizes the ancient baybayin script in the jar as a niggling thought inserts in his lazy perusal. The niggling thought turns into alarm when it finally penetrates in his mind what the smell of fresh coffee should have alerted him.</p><p> </p><p>Hank has never been so tempted to pull his hair in terror and frustration. This is-- well, <strong>*was*</strong> the bossing's prized <em>barako</em> grounds-- Maria Makiling herself gave it to her as a gift! She had used them so sparingly and on special occasions. He specifically instructed Maliksi never to touch this jar. Too late, he peers inside and gasps in horror, upon seeing the near empty contents. The bossing will kill-- no, she will <strong><em>enjoy</em></strong> and <em><strong>relish</strong></em> murdering them. "Maliksi, you idiot! I told you not to touch this! What have you done?!"</p><p> </p><p>Totally frustrated, the <em>tikbalang</em> faces the horrified bartender with a snarl. "Can't a <em>tikbalang</em> make dalgona for his ladylove without being discouraged!" Maliksi explodes. "What's the difference that one can make? It's just coffee--" He cuts short, when he sees the always tough Hank Sparrow blanch and his eyes swivel to the top floor. The usually unflappable bartender is wringing his hands in anxiety.</p><p> </p><p>For the first time, Maliksi feels fire and ice creep up his veins. He has dreamt of being in Alex's embrace, sure, but not with a kris pointed at his jugular. He has not heard the nimble <em>manggagaway</em> perch on the wet bar and come up behind him. He slowly raises his hands, the muddy brown slurry dripping off his whisk, to his arm and elbow and down to the floor. From the corner of his eye, he can see from Alex's mutinous expression that she is not very impressed with his current antics.</p><p> </p><p>"Uh. Hi, my love." The kris' pointed blade digs, breaking skin and drawing blood. Maliksi begins to sweat. Alex has always been indifferent, but she never had intentions to harm or maim him, despite his efforts to rile her. Her sharp eyes communicate an intent to kill today, however.</p><p> </p><p>"What. Are. You. Doing." Each word is punctuated with a feral growl.</p><p> </p><p>"Dalgona Surprise?" Maliksi shifts tactics as the petite <em>babaylan</em> narrows her eyes dangerously. Her other hand is gripping her phone right in front of his face. <em>Crap, I pissed her enough for her to threaten me with Santelmo.</em> Removing his nervous glance at the phone and her finger poised to dial the Santelmo, Maliksi explains hurriedly, "Look, I'm sorry about the mess I made in the Diabolical. I swear to clean it up--" Alex ignores him as her sharp gaze falls at Hank, who is now in a state of panic, rattling the bottles and jars on the counter in an attempt to distract his bossing to cover up the fact of an impending disaster. Her eagle sharp eyes lands on the ancient jar and its missing cover and instantly connects the unfortunate events.</p><p> </p><p>Hank instantly realizes his failure to distract the bossing when her furious growl of rage chills both man and horse to their bones.</p><p> </p><p>"My Makiling beans!"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>It's my first Trese fic published (the actual first I had made will be published later, I have to rewrite it in story format) and the first I had completed in a LOOOOONG time. I thought I will end up as a lurker but glad I am now able to publish. Hehe.</p><p>Tikbalang is a mythical creature of the Filipino lore with a head of a horse. Maliksi is a tikbalang and part of the Armazan tribe.</p><p>Baybayin is the Filipino ancient text.</p><p>Santelmo, also known as St. Elmo's Fire. It's a fireball that Alex can contact by dialing the date of the Great Binondo Fire.</p><p>Dalgona is a fad food of 2020 where they whip up instant coffee with sugar to make a sort of cloud to be topped on cold milk. It is based on a Korean sweet.</p><p>Barako coffee are robusta/excelsia coffee beans usually found in Laguna/Batangas/Cavite areas. IMHO Batangas beans are the best. I'm not aware if there are Makiling beans, though.</p><p>Maria Makiling is the Filipino folklore goddess/fairy who is the guardian of the Makiling range.</p><p>Manggagaway and babaylan pertain to warrior and healer priests of Filipino pre-historic lore. Alexandra is known as a manggagaway-babaylan who keeps the neutrality of the human and supernatural. The kris is a dagger weapon that has a wavy blade she uses in battle.</p><p>This fic is inspired by the #incorrecttresequotes. The original was first published in the Trese FB group. Written while I was having my morning coffee. Edited for more details.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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